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Romantic · nocturne

Nocturne in B major, Op. 9 No. 3

Frédéric Chopin · Level 8, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

Nocturne in B major, Op. 9 No. 3 is a nocturne by Frédéric Chopin from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 8, an estimate.

On this page
  • nocturne
  • Romantic
  • dreamy

History

Chopin's B-major nocturne is the third and last work of Op. 9, a set from his early years. Henle's source study places its composition around 1830 to 31 and first publication in 1832 to 33, so its opus number reflects publication rather than a single composition day.

Sources

What to listen for

  1. A decorated song sits over rocking support

    The eighth pickup introduces a B-major song above rocking broken chords. Hear the melody through its playful decoration.

  2. A minor contrast changes the motion

    The Agitato region sustains upper lines over active lower triplets. Compare its intensity and texture with the rocking opening.

  3. The opening returns with renewed ornament

    B-major writing and Tempo I restore a decorated version of the song. Recognise its contour as the response grows toward a trill.

  4. A free flourish leads into an Adagio close

    The unmetered cadenza gives way to a wide-register Adagio flourish and long final sonority. Hear the distinction between free movement and held arrival.

How to practise it

Preserve the little rests in the melody while the lower texture holds its inner notes.

  1. Play the two figures with spoken rests; compare D-sharp and D-natural deliberately before adding speed.
  2. Practise the held F-sharp against the moving pattern slowly, releasing it only at its written end.

How hard is it

Level 8, estimated

Contrasting lyrical and turbulent writing requires rapid character changes, coordination and expressive control.

About this piece

Interpretive sketch of Frédéric Chopin, an illustration and not a verified likeness
An illustration, not a portrait
Collection
Night music
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
Source
mutopiaproject.org
Credit
“Nocturne No. 3” by F. F. Chopin (1810 to 1849). Mutopia edition maintained by Glen Larsen. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=1955. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Frédéric Chopin

  1. Prelude in A major, Op. 28 No. 7Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
  2. Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro
  3. Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52Level 10, estimatedWith Maestro

With Maestro

Play it, slow it down, hear where you land

Preserve the little rests in the melody while the lower texture holds its inner notes.

Practise it in PlayPiano